Predator/Prey
by Forlay
Summary: Heather's friends give her a dare she simply can't refuse
1. The Plan

Fearless01 _Author's Note: I just need to put a quick warning here: this fic is slash. It will (eventually) feature a romantic relationship between two girls. If this squicks you, go find another fic in our (pretty small) fandom, or go write some happy fluffy fic with Gaia and Sam._   
_I have to admit that I can't tell you exactly when exactly this fic takes place, after both Heather and Ed and Gaia and Sam get together, but before the events in book 14, I guess. If I haven't scared you away yet, enjoy!___

Predator/Prey   
By: Forlay 

Chapter One - The Plan 

Megan popped the top of her third beer. "So, Heather, you haven't told us what the occassion is yet." She took a long gulp from the can. "Why exactly have you descended from on high to mingle with the commoners?" All the girls laughed at Megan's attempt at aristocracy.   
"I broke up with Ed," Heather said simply. She drank from her beer can. Her fourth since the impromptu party had begun half an hour earlier. "I needed to get drunk."   
Tina looked at the stack of beer cases and wine coolers that held a prominent place in the Gannis living room. That had been the admission to Heather's part - bring whatever booze you can get a hold of. The five girls had been able to bring quite a lot. "Well, getting completely shit faced shouldn't be too much of a problem." Again, the girls laughed.   
"So, why'd it happen?" Bethany asked Heather.   
"Why'd what happen?"   
"Why'd you break up with Ed, stupid!"   
Heather looked down at her nearly empty beer can. "I - uh - don't really want to talk about it."   
"Oh, come on, Heather, you can tell us."   
"It was that Gaia bitch, wasn't it?" Ashley asked, actually sounding concerned.   
Heather shook her head. "No, I think I got Ed to stop hanging out with the bitch."   
"Then why'd you break up?" Mandy demanded. "If he wasn't in the chair, he'd be perfect!"   
"I bet I know what happened," Tina said with a conspiratory grin. "With the chair, you two couldn't exactly have sex, could you?"   
"It had nothing to do with the damn chair!" Heather shouted. "He's better than any other guy in the damn school. Our break up had _nothing_ to do with his chair, nor is our sex life any of your business."   
"Then why did you break up?" Megan pressed.   
"None of your business," Heather said through gritted teeth.   
"Does Heather have her eye on someone else?" Tina teased.   
"No way!" Bethany said. "She just said Ed was the best guy at school, so it's no one here, and we _know_ her record with college guys isn't good. Heather's going to grow up to be an old maid!" The girls, all except Heather anyway, burst into giggles.   
"She probably couldn't get anybody even if she wanted to," Mandy said with a loud, drunken laugh. "She's been in steady relationships for too long. She probably doesn't remember how to pick a guy up!" The girls laughed harder.   
"I could get anyone I want!" Heather said. She ahd to shout to be heard. "Anyone!"   
Megan looked at Heather. "_Any_one?"   
Heather nodded. "Anyone you name."   
"Alright, ladies, I believe we have a challenge!" Tina crowed. "Where's your year book, Heather?"   
Heather tried to think through her drunken haze. "Um...top shelf of my book case." Tina ran off to get it and returned a moment later. The other four girls crowded around her. Heather sat back, nervously drinking her beer. She only heard snatches of conversation. "He's too easy...No! I wouldn't wish him on _anyone!_ ... Too dorky, too jocky...." The list of excuses went on and their drunkeness made each one more ridiculous than the last.   
"There! That one!" Megan finally shouted out. "Absolutely perfect." The other girls nodded and left their circle, the year book open with Tina's thumb over one picture.   
"This one!" Tina said proudly, pulling her hand away with a flourish.   
Heather stared at the picture wide eyed. "No, you guys -"   
"You said _anyone_, Heather," Megan reminded.   
"But -"   
"No buts, " Bethany said. "Do you accept the challenge?"   
Heather began to feel sick. "What if I say no?"   
Mandy grinned wickedly. "You won't say no."   
Heather knew that grin. She saw it whenever anyone inher group was about to play a particularly nasty joke on some poor soul. Heather had never wanted to be on the receiving end of one of those smiles. She took another gulp of her beer to try and build her confidence. It didn't work. It tasted sour and she nearly choked on it. When she caught her breath her friends were waiting expectantly. "I'll do it." 

***  Even though she had a nasty hangover, Heather had to go to school the next day, if only to get away from her parent's constant arguing. And once at school she had to act as she always did: Cool and aloof Heather Gannis.   
There was no group to meet her at the door today, no protective buffer zone to keep the eyes of every student off of her. Normally, Heather would have relished the attention she got from the student body - it was a rare occassion indeed that she was alone - but today she was too sick to appreciate. Sick not only from the hangover, but the from what lay ahead of her. Physically and metaphorically. Metphorically there was the challenge, the challenge she couldn't back down from if her life depended on it. And physically, there was her least favorite pair of people on the planet: Gaia and Ed.   
Heather felt a lip curl up conemptuously when she saw them at Gaia's locker. Ever since she'd first met Gaia, it'd felt like those two were conspiring to make her life a living hell at every turn. Even when she'd had her second fling with Ed, she couldn't help but feel he was betraying her by continuing to hang out with the goddess of bitches.   
Heather pretended to ignore them as she walked past to get to her locker, but it was impossible to avoid seeing how Gaia pointedly turned away from her, and how Ed looked away, with what could have been called a look of embarrasment on his face.   
_Serves him right,_ Heather thought coldly. _After all his shit, he shouldn't so much as look my way again._

***  Heather didn't get a chance to talk with any of her friends until lunch that afternoon.   
"So. I notice you aren't sitting with the object of your affection. What's taking so long?" Megan asked when all the girls from the last night's party were gathered at their lunch table.   
"I told you she didn't have a chance," Mandy said with a smile.   
"If you must know, I'm sitting with you guys to scope out the prey," Heather said evenly. "After all, a good huntress knows she has to stalk her prey, know the prey's habits, before going in for the kill."   
"Yeah, but the hunter doesn't always make the kill. What makes you so sure you will?" Bethany asked.   
Heather smiled slightly. "I'm a solitary hunter, my secrets are made known to no one." 


	2. A Game of Cat and Mouse

Fearless01

Predator/Prey   
By: Forlay 

Chapter Two - A Game of Cat and Mouse 

Ed and Gaia left school that afternoon in an uncomfortable silence. Gaia because she only had questions for Ed, but they'd established the rule long ago about no questions, and Ed because he wasn't entirely comfortable around Gaia yet. They'd been estranged for awhile, ever since he and Heather had started going out again, and now that that relationship was over...he was entirely sure if he could slip back into the easy relationship he and Gaia used to have.   
"I don't want to go back to the apartment yet," Gaia announced abruptly. "I'm going to play some chess. You want to come?" she added as an afterthought.   
"No, I've always sucked at chess. I'd better be going home," Ed answered, trying to sound natural, but he could tell from his voice he was failing miserably.   
Gaia shot him a look that, from her, was concerned, but she didn't press him. Sometimes he absolutely hated their 'don't ask, don't tell' rule, not only because he didn't get to find out anything about Gaia but sometimes he wanted her to ask about him. She had to be dying to know about his breakup, she was probably viewing it as a victory of sorts, he was finally getting out of Heather's clutches, but because she didn't want to give him a chance to dig into her past, she was remaining quiet.   
"Okay, then," Gaia finally said. "I'll see you later then. You going to call tonight?"   
Ed smiled. It'd been awhile since they'd had their late night phone conversations. "If you'll be there."   
Gaia smirked. "I can't make any promises Ed, but I'll try."   
"That's all I can ask, I guess. I'll see you later." 

***

Gaia found most of the chess tables in Washington Square Park empty, only a couple of regulars there. Mr. Haq and Zolov were just finishing up a game when Gaia walked by.   
"Hello Ceendy," Zolov said, not looking up from his game.   
Gaia smiled and shook her head. She had no idea where the man had come up with the name Ceendy, but no one had been able to convince him that her name was truly Gaia. "Hey, Zolov, hey, Mr. Haq. How's the game going?"   
"I'm going to learn one of these days not to challenge this man," Mr. Haq said with a sigh. "I'm going to go broke if I keep playing with him."   
"Check mate!" Zolov cried happily. Mr. Haq didn't even bother to analyze the board. He knew he'd lost. He took out his wallet and pulled out a crumpled twenty dollar bill. "Another game?"   
"No, I've got to get back on duty," Mr. Haq said. "Besides, that was the last of my money for today."   
Zolov looked up at Gaia. "How about you, Ceendy?"   
Gaia was just about to say sure when she heard a scream from across the park. She tensed and looked around. Near the exit of the park she saw a group of men, in the middle of them was a woman. "In the middle of the afternoon?" Gaia muttered to herself. "Pathetic." To Zolov she said, "I'd love to, but I've got other things to do." Without waiting for Zolov's answer, she ran off, her messenger bag thumping against her legs.   
"Hey guys," she called when she reached the group of men. "What's up?"   
One of them, a guy with a greasy black pony tail, turned to her. "None of your business, girlie."   
"Oh really? I'm afraid I beg to differ on that one. Why don't you four leave the nice lady alone and no one will get hurt."   
Grease laughed. "I'm really afraid of you, sweetie. You just wait right there and we'll get to you in a moment."   
"I'm a rather impatient girl, I want my turn right now." With that, Gaia delivered a sound kick to Grease's chest, knocking him down to the ground.   
His three cronies looked startled for a moment, but quickly forgot their original target and moved quickly towards Gaia. She threw off her bag and readied herself. She knew she could take these three punks easy.   
One of the guys, wearing a black wife beater with a tattoo of a skull and crossbones on his bicep, approached Gaia first, slowly, measuring her up. Gaia didn't let go of his stare, yet she remained keenly aware of the other two guys that were on their feet, and saw Grease in her peripheral vision standing up from the ground. It'd be a four on one fight. More difficult than some fights she'd been in, but far from impossible.   
A guy with dark sunglasses moved behind Gaia, she knew it was time to make her move. Tattoo lunged forward and she heard a grunt from behind her as Glasses did the same, Gaia ducked down and rolled out of the way, letting the two thugs crash into eachother and fall to the ground in a tangled heap. She shook her head as she faced down the third guy, a fairly clean cut one, with curly blond hair. He looked like he should be in some preppy college, not in a street gang.   
"You going to be as big an idiot as your friends here?" Gaia asked, indicating Glasses and Tattoo.   
"Nah, I've got somethin' better in mind." Curly pulled a knife out of his jacket.   
"Please," Gaia easily kicked the knife from his hand, then delivered a roundhouse kick to his head. She heard a crack when her foot met his cheek bone. He was going to be out of the fight.   
Grease was back up now. He'd grabbed Curly's knife and had one of his own. He ran towards Gaia, without any finesse or style at all. Gaia wondered momentarily if she should even bother to fight him or simply move out of the way and let him plow into Tattoo and Glasses, who were finally on their feet again. But what would have been the fun in that?   
She put a foot out in Grease's path, he saw it in time to try and leap, but Gaia caught him first, grabbing his knives and throwing him down to the ground. She threw the knives out of the reach of any of the thugs and turned back to Tattoo and Glasses, who were finally getting a little sense and looked a little frightened.   
"Still think I'm a harmless little girl?" she asked. Glasses shook his head and began to back away, but Tattoo was thicker than his friend. He reached in his jacket and pulled out a gun.   
Gaia didn't move for a moment, letting Tattoo take aim, but as soon as the pistol cocked she shot forward and grabbed his arm, pulling it back behind him so it almost, but not quite, snapped.   
"Ow! Oh, shit! Let me go, bitch!"   
"Soon as you promise to get out of here, I will," Gaia said, only slightly breathless from the exertion.   
"Dammit, let me go and I will!"   
"Promise not to come back?"   
"Let go!" Gaia put more pressure on the arm. The tendons were straining, just another half an inch and... "We'll go! We'll go just let go of my fucking arm!"   
Gaia complied and pushed the guy away from her. He moved to pick up his gun but Gaia kicked it away. He didn't bother to look at his friends as he ran off, Glasses just behind him.   
The woman who had been hassled ran up to Gaia. "My God, that was brave of you! I just got back from a pay phone, the police should be here any moment. What can I do to thank you?"   
Gaia rolled her eyes as she sank down next to a tree. She always hated it when the victims she saved stuck around, they always wanted to repay her, or help her out when she began to black out, just like she was now. "Nothing," Gaia managed to say. She rolled over and tried to push herself up. "I'll be fine. I-I've got to go."   
"Let me help you," the woman took Gaia's arm and helped her to her feet. As soon as Gaia was balanced, though, she yanked her arm away.   
"I can take care of myself, just let me go." Gaia walked slowly past Grease and Curly, picked up her bag and began to stagger away from the woman and the thugs. As soon as she was out of their sight she flopped down on a park bench. 

***

Heather was walking through the park with Tina just in time to see Gaia stumble to a bench and collapse.   
"Wonder what her problem is?" Tina wondered off handedly. She sent a pointed look to Heather.   
"What, you think I'm going to go over there and _ask_ her?"   
"Hunter and prey, remember? Check out the prey's habits. Don't tell me you've forgotten your wonderful metaphor already!"   
"I-I don't know enough yet. I couldn't go over there and act in character," Heather stumbled, for once finding herself having to struggle to find words.   
Tina rolled her eyes. "I knew you wouldn't be able to follow through with this challenge. Come on, my apartment's closer. We're going to go call Megan and tell her that you can't go through -"   
"I can do this on my own, Tina," Heather spat. "You didn't give me a time limit, I just need to...."   
"Date her," Tina supplied with a smirk. "And within a reasonable ammount of time. That should go without saying."   
"Well what do you expect me to do? Go over there and act all concerned for her?"   
"You're the master hunter. You tell me."   
Heather glared at her friend. Sometimes she really thought she needed to get new friends. But now wasn't the time to argue about that. She set her shoulders straight and began walking. "Watch and learn, Tina, watch and learn." 

***

Gaia hadn't had to exert herself much taking out the gang, so she didn't totally black out when she fell to the bench. Thank God. She was a prime target anyway, looking like she was asleep on a park bench. If she had been totally incapacitated by the fight, she'd be dead.   
Gaia's strength was just beginning to return when a shadow fell over her face. She slowly opened her eyes to see Heather Gannis standing over her.   
Shit.   
"What the hell do you want?" Gaia managed to say.   
"I saw you fall to the bench," Heather said simply. "I was curious."   
"Well, I'm fine, no need to waste anymore of your precious time." Gaia pushed herself up to a sitting position, praying the sudden dizziness she felt wouldn't make her pass out in front of Heather, that was the last thing she needed.   
"Well excuse me," Heather said snidely, forgetting for a moment she was supposed to be getting close to Gaia. "I knew I should have just left you to fend for yourself in here, like you did with me."   
"You _still_ think that was my fault? If you hadn't have been such a bitch that evening I would have warned you!" Why on Earth was she arguing with _Heather_?   
"So two wrongs make a right? How I was acting shouldn't have stopped you from warning me. Any decent human being would have warned me."   
"You already think I'm the lowest form of life on the planet, why should I live up to more than you expect of me?"   
"You should always live up to your potential," Heather quoted her guidance councilor haughtily.   
"And if all the potential I have is kicking your ass, what are you going to do about it?"   
Heather looked Gaia up and down slowly. She considered for a moment accepting Gaia's challenge, her arms and legs look larger than a normal person's for a reason: She had _muscles_. Lots of muscles. Heather really would get her ass kicked if she tried to fight Gaia. So she decided to go the cryptic route, fighting Gaia with words. "There's always more than you think, Gaia. Always more." She spun on her heel and walked back to Tina.   
"She looks just slightly pissed," Tina said when she and Heather resumed walking.   
"I was playing with her."   
"Like a cat with a mouse?"   
Heather smiled at the image. "Exactly."   
  



	3. Planning

Fearless01

Predator/Prey   
By: Forlay 

Chapter Three - Planning 

"So Heather found you right when you were in one of your post-psycho-fight depressions?" Ed asked Gaia over the phone that evening. "I've told you before you shouldn't go into crazy fights alone."   
"So I should have let those guys mug that woman, or worse?"   
"You could have called the cops."   
"You know how long it can take the cops to show up. That woman could have been dead before the cops even got into their squad cars."   
"So what did you do to Heather?"   
"I didn't _do_ anything, I could hardly sit up. We just argued for a few minutes."   
"What did you two say?"   
"She said some shit about her stabbing, I asked why I should have done more than she expected of me. She said I should live up to my potential, and when I asked what if all the potential I had was giving her a good ass kicking, she simply answered 'There's always more than you think.' "   
"Sounds like something she got from a fortune cookie."   
"Wouldn't surprise me. She's too shallow to come up with anything on her own."   
"You don't know that, Gaia. There's a lot more to her than what she lets on."   
"Sorry, I forgot I was talking to the expert."   
"I really don't understand why you two hate eachother so much. I've never seen two people act more antagonistic to eachother."   
"We were enemies in a past life and it's carried over into this one," Gaia suggested.   
"So in other words you don't have a reason either?"   
"I spilled coffee on her one day and she's hated me ever since. I only have to breathe to piss her off."   
"Well, there is the whole going after her boyfriend thing...."   
"That wasn't intentional. Sam was the one who broke it off with Heather."   
"And you were the catalyst."   
"What is it with you and your vocabulary assignment words tonight?" Gaia asked abruptly.   
"Just finished doing the homework," Ed explained, "but that's beside the point. I think you two could get along -"   
"If she wasn't such a bitch, maybe, but people like Heather don't let go of grudges easily. Maybe we'll have to try again in the next life."   
"Just do me a favor and don't shorten her life to speed up your reunion."   
"I'll try." 

***

"So what's your next move, Heather?" Megan asked.   
Heather twirled the phone cord in her fingers. "I don't know," she admitted.   
"You aren't giving up already, are you?"   
"I don't have much of a choice, do I?"   
"I think you need to meet her out in public, so she can't try and kill you."   
"She'll only continue her tough bitch act in front of other people."   
"So long as it isn't Ed and she isn't feeling threatened she might drop it."   
"Feeling threatened?"   
"You can be pretty imposing, Heather."   
"Since when did you get so good at analyzing people?"   
Megan laughed. "I didn't totally slap through my psychology class last semester."   
"So you think I threaten her."   
"Yeah. So get her to meet you in neutral territory and you can talk. It'll be a step in the right direction."   
"She hates me. She tried to get me killed once. She'd never agree to meet me."   
"Didn't Sam give you the password to his e-mail account once?"   
"Yeah? So?"   
"So go in there and pretend to be him, she'd gladly go out to meet him."   
Heather frowned. The plan was sound, but she didn't like to be reminded of the fact Gaia had stolen Sam from her. "I'll try it. I'll go do it right now, actually. I'll talk to you later."   
"Good luck!"   
"Whatever." 

From: smoon@alloymail.com   
To: gaia13@alloymail.com   
Time: 10:37 P.M.   
Re: Meet me? 

Gaia,   
Hey, I've got a free afternoon tomorrow. No lab, no classes and a relatively light homework load. Want to meet me at the cafe next to the donut shop down the street from your school? I know you'd prefer the donut shop, but that's not exactly the most relaxing of places.   
-Sam 

From: gaia13@alloymail.com   
To: smoon@alloymail.com   
Time: 11:01 P.M.   
Re: I'll be there. 

Subject line says it all.   
-Gaia 


	4. Beginnings

Fearless01

Predator/Prey   
By: Forlay 

Chapter Four - Beginnings 

The next morning, Gaia actually woke up early to carefully plan what to wear. She'd always thought the girls on TV were unbelievably shallow when they spent hours primping for their dream guy, but here she was, doing the Gaia version, picking out a pair of jeans with only a small hole in one knee, and a sweatshirt that was too new to be stained or torn. She brushed her hair and briefly considered leaving it down for once but that seemed a bit extreme. This was a casual date after all, right? so she pulled her hair back into a messy pony tail and ran down the stairs.   
"Bye, George!" she called as she ran out the door. She'd grown a little warmer to the man since Ella's death. Not warm enough that she was about to skip her morning donut run to eat cold cereal with him, but he usually knew of her whereabouts now.   
"Looking good today, Gaia," Ed said when they met at school.   
Gaia handed him a donut from her box. "You mean you can actually tell?"   
"I can tell your clothes are unusually free of holes and stains today. What's the occasion?"   
"Going to see Sam after school."   
"Ah. That would do it. Uh, don't look now."   
"What?"   
"Heather."   
Gaia heeded Ed's warning and pretended to be very intent on pulling books out of her locker. She half expect to hear some snide remark from behind her, but Heather and her throng of FOHs seemed to be mute this morning. 

***

The school day dragged on longer than it usually did for Gaia, much to her dismay. She hated acting like a giggly teenage girl, counting the hours and minutes until she could see her...boyfriend.   
As soon as the last bell rang, Gaia practically ran from the school, not even bothering to throw books into her locker or say goodbye to Ed.   
Navigating through New York streets could be a pain no matter the day, but right after school lets out is one of the harder times. It took Gaia nearly half an hour to reach the cafe, though it was only a few blocks away. She expected Sam to be waiting there for her, probably wondering what was taking her so long since she was usually so punctual, but she didn't recognize anyone there.   
_He probably got caught up in traffic just like me,_ Gaia assured herself. She found a seat near the back of the cafe to wait for Sam.   
Gaia watched the people coming and going from the cafe as she waited. The mothers with their young children, the NYU theatre students animatedly discussing some show or another, the street person who'd managed to beg enough money to afford coffee and a roll. The best of New York, right here in...well, they _were_ the best of New York, until Heather Gannis walked in.   
Gaia turned her attention to her coffee, not wanting to attract Heather's attention.   
"Hello, Gaia."   
Didn't work. "Am I just a magnet for you lately? Why the hell do you keep seeking me out? No, don't answer, I don't want to know. Just go away, I'm meeting someone."   
"I know."   
Gaia looked up at Heather sharply. "How?"   
Heather slid into the booth across from Gaia. "I sent the message."   
"What?!"   
"I wanted to talk to you, it was the only way I could think of."   
"Like hell you want to talk to me. I'm not waiting around here to trade insults with you." She stood up to leave, not caring if Heather was left to pay, but Heather grabbed her arm. The action surprised her so much Gaia didn't pull away immediately.   
"Don't go, Gaia. We need to talk, I'm serious about that."   
Gaia came to her senses and pulled her arm away from Heather's surprisingly strong, but well manicured, hand. "Why?"   
"Sit down and I'll tell you."   
"No." Gaia began to leave again, but Heather jumped up and grabbed her shoulders. Gaia spun around to face down Heather. "Touch me again and you'll get that ass kicking I promised."   
They'd attracted the attention of everyone in the cafe now but Heather either didn't notice or didn't care. "Please, Gaia," she said gently. "It's about...the three of us."   
"Three?"   
"You. Me. And Ed."   
Gaia sat down slowly, not sure why this convinced her to stay around but deciding to go with it. "Okay. Talk."   
"Thank you." Heather took her seat. "Has Ed told you why we broke up?"   
"No. It's none of my business."   
"Do you want to know?"   
"Stop acting like we're old friends Heather and get to it."   
Heather pressed her lips into a firm line. "It was about you."   
"Why the hell would you break up over me?"   
"I - I don't really know," Heather admitted. "Ed seemed to think I was jealous of you, which I assure you was _not_ the case," she added quickly. "I just felt he should spend more time with me than with you. I _was_ his girl friends, after all and you're...well, you."   
"The feeling's mutual," Gaia said sourly.   
"Anyways, I feel really bad about the break up, but I know I don't have a chance unless I meet Ed half way. So could we compromise? At least act civil to each other, especially around Ed, and maybe occasionally go out together. Just you and me, or all three of us."   
"Just why should I help you? I thought it was a bad idea for you two to date in the first place. I couldn't be happier now that you two aren't together."   
"Tell me the truth, Gaia: Ed was happier than you'd ever seen him before when he and I were dating, right?" Gaia nodded reluctantly. "And he's back to being the Ed he was before now that we've broken up?" Again, Gaia nodded. "So don't do it for me, do it for one of the only friends you have left."   
Gaia stared at Heather for a moment, trying to figure the brunette out. 24 hours earlier, they'd been in the park ready to tear eachother apart, and now Heather was offering in truce. But what Gaia couldn't tell was if Heather was being sincere, or if this was a cover for some bizarre prank only Heather and her friends could think of. Unfortunately, there was only one way to find out.   
"Okay. But I'm not doing this for you," Gaia told Heather quickly. "For all I care, you can leap off the Empire State Building. I just want to get Ed back to the way he used to be, so long as you don't keep trying to convince him I'm a bigger bitch than you are. Deal?"   
Heather flashed her perfect smile. "Deal."   
Gaia stood to leave, having spent enough time with Heather to last her a life time, but Heather's hand was on her arm. Again. "Didn't I tell you _not_ to touch me?"   
"Sorry," Heather apologized. Gaia was tempted to check Heather's temperature. Heather didn't apologize to _anybody_, especially girls like Gaia. "Can you not mention this to Ed? I'd rather see if we can get this to work before telling him."   
"Fine."   
"So when would you like to get together?"   
"What?"   
"Wasn't that what we were just talking about? Getting together, being civil, getting Ed back to normal?"   
Gaia had faced some bizarre things in her life, but this had to top the list. "I don't know. Whenever."   
"Free tomorrow night? Dinner and a movie?"   
"You make it sound like a date."   
Heather shrugged. "How's movie and a snack sound then?"   
"Sure. I'll...meet you here at seven. Work for you?"   
"Works for me."   
"Then...I'll see you then."   
"Yeah, see you, Gaia." Heather smiled a Cheshire Cat grin at Gaia's retreating back. The hunt had begun. 

***

Ed had to wheel his chair quickly through the school hallways to keep up with Gaia the next day. "What's wrong?"   
"Wrong? There's nothing wrong."   
"You've been acting weird since I called you last night. Did something go wrong with your date with Sam last night?" If he had done something to hurt Gaia....   
"No. It went fine."   
"Then why are you acting weird?"   
Gaia hit her locker door for emphasis. "I am not acting 'weird'!" She began spinning her lock.   
"So power walking and virtually ignoring me are part of your daily morning routine?"   
Gaia flung the locker open, not flinching at the loud clang when the door hit the locker next to it. "I'm just distracted today. Leave it alone, okay?"   
"Okay. Whatever." He gave Gaia a moment to, rather violently, pull her books from her locker and shove them in her bag. "You doing anything tonight?"   
Gaia froze for a moment, but quickly resumed the task of closing her bag. "Actually, I am. I'm going to catch a movie."   
"Oh. With who?"   
"Why do you care?" Gaia snapped. "Why does who I spend my free time with concern you?"   
"I was just curious! Friends ask friends things like that."   
"Well, if I'm supposed to reveal every facet of my life to you just because we're friends, you better find someone else fast."   
"God, Gaia, what is your problem? Why do you have this need for secrecy surrounding everything from what you got on your math test to why you live with the Nivens? I can respect the big things, I don't particularly want anyone rummaging through my past either, but the little things just get old after awhile."   
Gaia leaned her forehead against her locker. _Damn Heather, this is all her fault!_ "I'm going to catch a movie and a snack afterwards with Sam. Just an innocent date, like most girls have done hundreds of times by the time they're my age. Okay?"   
"Okay," Ed said, figuring that was as close to an apology as he was going to get from Gaia. The bell rang before their conversation could go any further. "I'll talk to you later."   
"Yeah." They left in opposite directions. 


End file.
